Child Abductions

I’m Mollie Halpern, and this is FBI, This Week. The FBI saw 50 percent of such cases in fiscal year 2012—that’s compared to just 9 percent in 2010. Ashli-Jade Douglas, an analyst who specializes in child abduction cases, says the motivation behind the abductions is often retaliation.

Ashli-Jade Douglas: Their motivation is to get back at the parent—and by any means necessary.

Halpern: In the cases the FBI researched, children of unwed or divorced parents who are 3 and younger are most at risk of being abducted by a non-custodial parent. Parents of children of all ages should take precautions.

Douglas: It’s very important that you inform schools, babysitters, after care facilities, or anywhere where the child may reside without you, to let them know that this non-custodial parent should not be able to remove the child by any means.